The Saiyan Empire, Book II, Tournament Trials
by Torasuki
Summary: The action continues in the sequel to The Saiyan Empire! It's time for the tournaments on Vejitasei! Who will win, and more importantly, what known enemy will show it's ugly face?
1. Chapter 1

**The Saiyan Empire**

**Part Two: Tournament Trials**

_Chapter One : The Need To Train_

She jumped out of bed, nearly falling over a mass of jumbled up armor that was strewn across the floor. She looked onto the message screen and clicked the button, watching as it came up in flashing symbols; an order from the queen to report to her quarters. She slipped on her warm up outfit, and stepped out as quietly as possible. At the last second she heard a voice from the bed

"Kij... what now?" a rasy male voice spoke.

She sighed and turned. "Urgent order from the queen, its likely the brat again."

He laughed "You've taken to calling the heir a brat? You and the queen_ are_ close now."

Kijah was out the door before he could finish. She knew it was likely a simple false alarm, but with the queen's and the heir's life at stake in any measure, Kijah's instincts pushed her to hurry. She passed the few night guards who saluted nonchalantly; used to her late-night runs. She stopped outside the Royal quarters and knocked once, waiting for that same leave

"C'mon in Kijah," the queen's soft voice said, rather than ordered.

Kijah did as she was told and entered to see the queen in one of her night garments, sitting uncomfortably in a seemingly comfortable chair. Her stomach area had grown slightly in size in the past few months. She saw the king sitting in another chair in the shadows. He pulled on his last glove and strode past her without a word. Kijah was used to his attitude, as she knew he hated having someone else come to watch over his mate. And had gone to train in private while she looked over Bulma. She was absolutely giddy with the fact that the king actually left her alone with his mate, for the simple act told her that she was trusted.

Bulma waved her over with a weary smile.

"What is it?" Kijah asked, not accompanying the question with the usual 'my queen'.

The queen rolled her eyes softly. "This baby. He's kicking hard! Here-" she took Kijah's hand and placed it over her abdomen.

It had taken Kijah awhile to get used to the heir being called, 'the baby'. It had taken her even longer to get used to the queen's tendancy to grab her hand out of nowhere to show her something. She waited and sure enough, Kijah felt the kicking, which would keep even the toughest warrior awake. That is precisely why they used gestation tanks.

Kijah smirked "Strong one. Very strong."

Bulma raise both brows "Well if I don't get any sleep I'll never have the energy to work on this tournament! And I'm _sure_ this little guy has to sleep sometime! I'm just trying to figure out when!"

Kijah smiled. Even with the pregnancy, this human knew how important the tournaments were to the citizens. How could anyone have a doubt that Bulma was fit to lead Saiyans? She broke her own thoughts to speak "The tournaments usually take care of themselves."

Bulma sighed and let her eyelids fall for a second in between the kicks.

Kijah prepared to stay the rest of the night to get the queen food and keep her company. This had become a usual thing, and Kijah had actually come to enjoy it. All the while, she made sure to keep her duties as a guard in mind. Whether or not the king was present, the queen's life was in her hands.

* * *

Vegeta kicked at the wall before spinning, punching at speeds that couldn't be seen by the keenest eye. He stopped and sat down for a second, realizing that it may be better to 'think things out' like Bulma always tried to get him to.

He scowled. Every evening she had insisted on calling her only female guard in to help her out, knowing that he hated being around the guards, as he couldn't make 'small talk' as she could. The woman would not break down and let the heir be put in a gestation tank, and calling on the Saiyan female every night was her way of coping with the kicking.

She had yet to experience the scratching and such that may ensue, as every Saiyan child was born with an attitude and strength that promised warrior's instincts. He quirked his brows, wondering if the child's attitude would be watered down by her human genes.

Vegeta scowled and stood. He erupted into a barrage of kicks and punches, and decided that thinking things out was definitely _not_ the right way to handle this situation.

* * *

She slowly rolled her way out of his grip and slid off of the bed, but before she could get her first foot on the floor, his arm had pulled her back against him again. Not that she minded that.

"Where you going?" he was half asleep and she could hear it. Mainly because he had said it right into her ear.

"I want to train before duties," she said in a voice just as tired.

Kakarott smiled to himself and pulled her closer "I'll get you out of duties to train tomorrow. Just sleep for now, the sun hasn't even peaked yet."

Liena sighed. He had relieved her of her duties three times in the past few months. If other warriors began to take too much notice, one of their jobs might be on the line. The Saiyans respected mated couples, but they certainly did not take it as an excuse. Her mind began to oppose, but as he bit her neck lightly, any and all thinking faded out.

One more day couldn't hurt. Their tails intertwined as she settled back in and relaxed.

* * *

She watched the stars fly by, knowing she'd be there in a matter of hours. The planet was in sight, and looking as beautiful as ever. It had been a long time. She couldn't wait to see Kijah's face when she showed up at her quarters, and smirked, wondering if her friend had found a mate as quickly as she had.

At the thought of her mate, Golkor coincidentally chimed in on her scouter.

"Have you reached the outer sector yet?" he asked, sounding as formal as ever. This made her teeth break through in a feral smile.

"Yes, yes I have. The palace is in sight. The sun hasn't risen there yet, but it is as gorgeous as ever. Don't you just _wish_ you were here?" she drawled to her mate.

He snorted into the scouter. "Don't tease. I'll be there before the brat is put in the tank, and then you'll have nothing to do but entertain me. Until then, you'll just have to deal with it alone!"

"Eh, you'll be here before then. The tournaments are coming up, and you_know_ you can't resist those," she continued, not allowing him a space to interrupt. "Plus, it isn't so hard to live without you. Yamako, off."

The scouter obeyed as she scowled. There was no doubt in her mind that he was grinning, and paying no heed to her words. He knew how much she depended on him, and how much she hated to admit it.

She placed a hand on her stomach, and waited for the ship to descend into the atmosphere of her home planet.

* * *

Shinto's eyes rolled back into his head before he he snapped back to attention. These night shifts were definitely getting to him. He smirked as he thought of his sister who was likely up more often than he. The queen's pregnancy was the big deal around the palace, and the entire planet.

His face contorted as he rethought. His sister spending more time with the queen could only prove her status, and none could find one higher than hers. Shinto scowled. Just what he needed; more competition. He looked down the hall at his guards. Half of them, including his best officer, Ranku, were just about asleep.

How had he been forced into such a rank? There has been so much hope for him growing up. He had been told countless times that if he trained hard and kept his sights set high, he would achieve so much. Yet here he was, guarding a random section of the palace in the middle of the night, while all of the high-profile workers slept.

Shinto found himself sighing again. He had no right to complain, as he could just as easily be stuck on the outer council, or worse, the field workers. As another wave of dejected acceptance fell over him, he heaved a third sigh and kept guard as he was supposed to.

He silently vowed to show them all what he could do at the tournament. That would be his chance to shine.

* * *

Yamako stepped into the seemingly dead palace. She had checked in with the guards, and was officially on maternal leave for the time being. As she walked down the corridors, Yamako wondered what Kijah was up to, and instantly decided that she'd pay her a visit (whether it was the middle of the night or not).

She stopped at the door she knew to be Kijah's, and remebered that Liena's was right next door. The simple sight of them brought back memories. Yamako recalled their friendship, and how jealous she had been when she was younger. The two had connected, despite having polar opposite attitudes, and Yamako had felt cast aside for a time. She smirked, shaking the memories off as she stuck her fingers in the code box. It took awhile to compute her status, but the door slid open, revealing a very dark room.

So dark in fact, that even Yamako 's Saiyan eyes were having trouble. She heard a stirring from the bed. "Good morning sunshine," she drawled. Nothing. Damn, the girl was still a heavy sleeper. "Hey Kij, the _palace_ is burning down!!!"

The figure sat up, and Yamako smirked.

"Kijah's with the queen. What do you mean its burning down?" a male voice spoke from the bed.

Yamako 's usually smug look dropped to one of pure surprize. Kijah must have switched quarters. "I was joking. Have Kijah's quarters been relocated?" she asked, not quite processing what the male had said.

"No, these are her quarters. I just said she's with the queen. Now if you don't mind, tell me who you are. I assume you know Kijah, otherwise you would probably be strapped to the wall right now." the male spoke.

Yamako gaped, stumbling backwards, feeling for the lightswitch. He just said- "Kijah. You said- she's with the _queen_?" she asked.

She had heard about the new human queen, but had no idea why Kijah would be with her. Only very, _very_high ranked guards had such a privilege. Another thought struck her a moment later : Who _was_ this male in Kijah's room? Yamako found the button and turned on the light, the entire place illuminated. This gave her a chance to asses this male, in every way, considering he had no armor...or even clothes on.

Chatsu sat up, squinting and apparently careless about his lack of attire. "_She's_ with the _queen_. That's the last time I'll say it. _Who_ are _you_?" he asked, agitated.

Yamako 's mind was racing as she looked him over. She definitely did not recognize him, but she could appreciate his looks nonetheless. She found herself appreciating them a bit too much, and immediately focused her eyes on his, trying to look cool and calm. That was another mistake. His eyes were amazing! Her warrior's mindset snapped, as did her form. Yamako stood up straight and scowled. "I am Yamako, off world soldier and ruler of Ginosei. I'm on maternal leave, and decided to visit my _very__old_friend Kijah, only to find that she's with the Queen and there is a nude male sleeping in her quarters."

Chatsu smirked, sat there for another second, and finally pulled some cloth over himself and sat up more. His light brown eyes lost their glazed look as he stretched and woke up more fully. "She got promoted, Yamako. She's a Queen's guard now. I am her mate. My name is Chatsu, former off world troop, now Royal Guard Trainer," he said simply, never removing that smug look from his face.

'Quite the catch Kij' Yamako thought. "Queen's guard? I think I have missed too much in my absence," she admitted, looking around Kijah's room for the first time. Not much had changed there. She could only hope that her friend had stayed the same.

Chatsu shrugged. "She's usually back by sunrise, and since you've already done the wonderful deed of waking me up, I ought to be off to train for the tournament," he proceeded to get up and slip into the armor that had been strewn across the floor.

Yamako lifted her gaze and pursed her lips, doing her best to douse her annoyance. To be pregnant during the tournament! She swallowed her anger before speaking. "I'll stay here, then. They have yet to issue me a place. The order around here hasn't changed a bit," she said as she sat down, inspecting the room, and Kijah's mate when she got the chance.

Chatsu flicked a sly gaze to her. "Oh it's changed much more than you think. You'll see." he waved goodbye and walked out, his tail raised high behind him.

Yamako sat scowling, her own tail lifting and flicking occasionally behind her. Pompus jerk. No wonder Kijah liked him.

* * *

Kijah flicked a dark gaze over to Bulma, who again had her head in that book. Computer, or whatever it was. She sighed "Is there anything I can get you?" Kijah asked, standing and walking over, more out of curiosity than anything else.

Bulma smiled into her book, as it turned out to be. She looked up at Kijah, noticing her interest. "No, I'm fine," she smiled. "I'm working on a gravity machine concept."

Kijah raised a brow, the action voiced her question well enough.

Bulma grinned and turned, placing a hand over her swollen middle. She focused on the well built female and began the explanation, which was likely her favorite part. "Well I figure your training arenas have heightened gravity levels, proving that someone must have known training under weight increases muscle structure, speed, etc." Bulma began, and Kijah had a feeling she had been speaking with the King about this. "Once you've reached a certain level, many get used to the gravity, and do not advance in power. I figure if I can make a machine to control the level of gravity; the user can adjust it to his or her level, and slowly work up, all the time advancing in power. Only with this machine, the limit will be set much, much higher," she finished with a proud smile

Kijah raised both brows, taking a moment to compile. "So in other words...we can make more gravity in the training room, and once we get used to it, we can heighten it manually?" she asked

Bulma's brows went up "_Exactly_! I'll have a bit more trouble explaining that to Vegeta, but I think he'll like it," she spun around in her chair and shoved her head back in the book again, drawing strange things and symbols on pages.

Kijah thought about what she had just learned. True to the queen's usual concepts, it was a brilliant idea. The race would get stronger and stronger as they trained. Maybe the gravity was the reason some off world troops returned as more powerful warriors.

She smiled to herself and then stood to an attentive stance as Bulma flicked a tired blue gaze to her. "You can go now," she smiled wearily, which made Kijah a bit nervous for her health. "The sun is about up, and I'll be awake for awhile. Plus you probably want to practice. I'll just have a messenger get you if need be."

Kijah nodded "I will return shortly, my queen."

Bulma smiled, waved and turned back to her book.

Kijah made her way out, passing the king as he walked by. He ignored her presence as usual, and entered the royal quarters. Without a second though, she walked to her quarters, thinking that she might get a little sleep before training.

* * *

Liena gripped her arm and grimaced. It throbbed worse today. Kakarott had caught a hole in her defenses, and hadn't given in to show her where it was also. She caught Kakarott's eye as he looked at her from the side of the arena where he was getting some water. Four hours worth of training could make one thirsty, especially that one. She put on a smug face and let go of her arm, not willing to show he'd done any harm. But he narrowed his eyes in turn, knowing that she was in pain and wondering if he should still push her.

'The tournaments are coming', she reminded herself. With that thought, she stood up straight, forgot about the pain, and stalked over to him. Liena grabbed his arm, making him get water all over his face "Come on, we have to get a few hours in before duties."

He scowled, yanked his arm back, and followed. Just as Liena did, he ignored the stares that were sent their way. Many of the guards and palace members were still getting used to the two of them being bonded. Kakarott had been considered a very good catch by many, and jealousy ran through many females as they saw Liena dragging him around.

On the other hand, almost as many males considered Liena's looks and fighting skills an attractive pair. She had had quite a few suitors in the past few years, and the pairs of eyes directed at the couple were not all female.

Neither of the two had any idea of the controversies that they had caused.

Liena turned and dropped to a fighting stance. "Is there any heavier armor I can wear? I'm getting used to these."

Kakarott smiled, shook his head a bit and dropped also. "I'll see what I can do."

They sparred heavily with the time they had left, Liena getting better and better. Kakarott, she knew, was still above her, as no usual warrior she faced fought with such an enchanted gaze on his face.

* * *

Vegeta scowled and folded his arms. He absolutely hated not being able to understand her projects, but he wouldn't let her know this. In fact, he could care less. Not caring made it easy to keep his mind on more important things, like surpassing his current power.

"Vegeta, are you paying attention?" Bulma asked and turned to look at him. Her eyes were heavy from sleepless nights.

He snorted, "Woman, I could care less. As long as the engineers can do it and it works. Now get some sleep, or I'll put the brat in the gestation tank myself."

Bulma's lip quivered as she turned around. She mumbled something and continued writing, though, apparently unafraid of Vegeta's threat.

Vegeta sighed and sat across the room, checking with the guards that the arena was being properly prepared. For Bulma not to erupt into yells was a miracle in its own. Humans could be so moody, and he had a feeling this gestation would not be one he would appreciate. Once he was done the overall check, he retreated to some dark corner to watch his mate, and wait for any other idiotic obligations.

She, on the other hand, shut everything out (one of her perfected skills) and continued working. She meant to show him just how much of a genius she really was.


	2. Surprises and News

**The Saiyan Empire : Book II **

**CHAPTER TWO: **

_Surprises and News_

It was dark and quiet. Something was definitely wrong.

"Kijah!"

She heard her own name, and turned quickly, her eyes focused and Kijah recognised the face. Yamako!

"_What gives you the right to come into my quarters in the middle of the night_? And _where_ is my mate?" Kijah erupted.

Yamako grinned, knowing this was definately the Kijah she remembered. There was none other on the planet capable of her decibal range. "I am on maternal leave Kij, I figured since I haven't been issued a place, that I'd visit you. Or that sly little hybrid you've caught." she winked, and Kijah bristled.

"What'd you say to him, and _where_ in the god's names is he?" Kijah yelled, her fluffed tail showing her utter rage. She had had a basically sleepless night, and all of her worries and pent up anger were pouring out just then.

"I think he went training." Yamako admitted, finally standing. She was still wary of Kijah's mindset, and hoped a change of subject would help. "Hey, what's this about you being the queen's guard?"

Kijah cracked her neck and walked to the closet, pulling out her heavier training armor. "Come on," she said, muffled as she changed into it. "I have to train as well, and you could likely use a little spar. I'll explain on the way." Kijah said. Apparently the subject change had worked.

Yamako raised a brow and looked surprised as Kijah grabbed her arm, and pulled her out the door.

What exactly had gone on all of this time?

* * *

He blocked, and went for a hit, but was blocked also. This angered him, as he lifted into the air, powered up, and shot an energy blast all within seconds. This time his partner was hit, square in the chest.

"Damn it, Shin! I'm no enemy, why all the rage?" she asked accusingly. Slowly, she stood, clutching her armor as the burning slowed down. The attack had used was not usually one practiced in sparring.

Shinto landed, his eyes calming at the same rate as his ki. "Raleiko, I'm trying to train. I don't know what _you_ want to call it, but I have a few ranks to uphold in this tournament, and I'll stop at nothing to achieve them." he scowled into the female's face. The female scowled right back, and reacted as any good Saiyan would.

He recoiled as she punched him square in the diaphram, knocking the wind out of him. "You want to train Shinto? Lets _train_." Raleiko scowled, tightening her fluffed tail around her waist. If this male was going to be her mate, he'd have to learn what to take seriously. It was time to put him to a test he probably did not even know he was taking.

She took a battle stance, and Shinto scowled and did the same. The two went at each other with much faster motions and equally harsh blasts. This time he had a bit more trouble defeating his partner than before.

* * *

Chatsu spun, kicked, and jumped to avoid the kick he knew would be countered. Upon landing he shot a punch, slammed into the shoulder of his opponent, and reflected the ki blast with one of his own. Sevel was down and out within minutes, and Chatsu realized how bored he was. He scowled and wiped his hands, leaving the moaning Sevel to the cleanup crew.

How was he supposed to get better when his opponents were all so weak?

He lashed his tail free of his waist, and flicked his light gaze to the door. Chatsu smirked as the answer to his question entered the arena.

"Kijah. Lets go." he said simply. With a nod, she she phased out, leaving Yamako blinking cluelessly in the entryway.

He jumped when she appeared, but felt the punch to his lower back before he could get out of her way. Not fazed, he spun quickly to catch the following kick, and the two separated and faxed each other. She looked more awake than she should after a long night.

Chatsu smirked at his mate, who had a look of pure pleasure on her face as she fired a shot from her free hand, leaving an opening for a sweep kick that almost left him flat on his face. He recovered and phased out, coming in behind her and kicking, only to be met with a lateral spin kick; one she'd perfected in the past weeks.

Now_ this_ was what he called a challenge.

* * *

Yamako scowled. She definately had missed too much while she'd been gone. The fighting speed had increased, at least Kijah's had. And her mate was just as incredible. How had this happened?

Her thoughts ran back to Kijah's changing out of her warmups before training. Yamako was not one to miss out on details, and she had caught that one. Maybe it was the armor. If it was, she would need to get her hands on some just as fast. There would only be so much time to train before the pregnancy would keep her on hold. A week or two out of training was enough to drive a Saiyan insane.

" Yamako?" a soft voice interrupted her thoughts. Only one Saiyan she knew carried such a voice.

She turned to face Liena, grinning. "Well look who it is!" she said, bowing in greeting. Liena had grown. Although she wasn't very tall, she had definately grown up.

Liena bowed in return. "What brings you back to the planet?" she asked, reaching up to place a hand over her arm.

Yamako's gaze drifted to Liena's arm, once again noticing and noting the small detail. "Well I am going to have a brat put in the gestation tanks here. That, and of course, the tournaments! My mate will be returning for them also."

Liena grinned "Looks like everyone has found a mate for themselves!" she rubbed her arm a bit, and then her hand jolted down quickly.

Yamako quirked her brows and realized why, as Kakarott entered behind Liena. Kakarott; she hadn't known him well, only that his power was questionable. It was said to be strong, but many had never been able to identify the reason. She silently wondered where that attractive brother of his had run off to...

He scowled to Liena. "We have to get something on that arm, and eat before training more. I've got that heavier armor ready. I made a few extra for Kij and Chatsu also. I'm sure they'll be asking for it soon."

Liena nodded, obviously angered about her arm, but glad to know that her power would only increase more. She had really developed a self control level when it came to putting up with heavy armor.

"In a bit. I want to watch Kij, and talk to Yamako for a bit." she said, leaving her arms at her sides.

Kakarott flicked a quick glance to Yamako, then around the arena, and nodded to Liena. He was all business, even as his hand ran carefully over her arm. The two exchanged a meaningful glance before he turned and walked out without another word.

Liena sneered wickedly and replaced her hand over her arm once again. "Sorry about him, he gets like this around tournament time." she grinned.

She nodded, keeping her thoughts to herself. They both leaned against the wall and watched Chatsu and Kijah adding bruises to each other. So it was heavy armor... how on Vegetasei would that help raise power levels? Yamako thought quickly, barely noticing the fights and spars around them.

* * *

"What is it?" Vegeta scowled into the message screen.

The guard behind the screen trembled, and then looked down. "Message from Off-worlder Radditz sir."

Vegeta sneered. Great. Another pointless, babbling message from his old elite guard. "Well put him on already, and tell the moron to make it short." The king sat back and remembered the earth trip.

Mindless of its wonders, he had chosen to take two of his guards, Nappa and Radditz, off to some idle job on the planet. Once there, he began dealing with the odd feelings he was having for Bulma, and didn't need his idiotic guards telling him what 'treason to the throne' was. So, he had sent them on a thoughtless mission somewhere in a neighboring galaxy. It had been one of the best decisions he had ever made, in his opinion. Vegeta didn't recall asking for them to report, nor did he even recall the far off place he'd sent them to scout out. Now he was forced to put up with Radditz's babbling every few seasons. With that, the mass of hair himself appeared on screen.

Vegeta folded his arms "Well, well, are we sick Radditz? Your precious skin looks a bit pale in that light."

Radditz smirked. "I'm fine sire. In fact, this place isn't turning out so hard to conquer as we thought."

Vegeta inclined his head nonchalantly. "Wonderful."

The guards raised a brow "There are rumors of an heir, sire..."

Vegeta's gaze fixed directly on Radditz in return. It was a challenging look, and the guard seemingly recoiled. "I do not discuss the palace news over galaxial broadcast, warrior. You know that." Vegeta said, his eyes accusing.

Radditz gritted his teeth, and an obvious sheen of sweat broke out across his forehead. "Of course sire, forgive me. I'll need to go, that moron Nappa needs my help in controls."

Vegeta sneered and cut off contact. He did not like being dismissed, whether it be formally or not. Radditz was not acting like himself. Not only that, but Nappa would never take to being called a moron. In fact, there had been no sign of the bald-headed brute since Radditz had started reporting.

Something was up. He didn't know what just yet, but there was something going on.

Vegeta stood and entered the main royal suite. Taking a seat by the bed, he kept an eye on Bulma the entire time she insisted on 'working' so diligently. The short transmission had the fur on his tail prickling, much in the same way his instincts were. His waking mind was set on protecting his mate and son.

Saiyan instincts forced waryness on his part. Those simple minded fools had never gotten to him in such a way. He would have to keep a closer eye on what information was allowed to be spread among the palace from that time on.

* * *

He turned, gulping, but keeping his teeth gritted. It took every ounce of self control he had not to erupt into screams of frustration. He was a Saiyan Elite! How could two freaks like this have greater power than he?

"Keep your cool, Saiyan. We will arrive soon." the sly accented voice came from the shadows. "You do not want to end up like your bald headed friend over there." A gloved hand pointed to Nappa's limp body, impaled through the heart.

Radditz sneered, and moved his gaze back to the female-looking one. He had the deep voice of a male, but jewelry, and dressy green hair made him seem all and too female The feminine creature called Zarbon smirked. "Now then, next time be sure to find out about this heir. The master suddenly wants every bit of information on your monkey-tailed race."

"Yeah! Wonder why, you all seem weak to me." the fat, pink... thing stepped into view also. His annoying voice crowded Radditz's ears, and he sneered uncontrollably. Their derogatory comments had once angered him beyond range, but he had quickly learned that any retaliation only earned him more embarrassment. The freaks were strong. So he had been forced to keep whatever pride he could, all while obeying their every whim.

"Lets go hairy, we gotta get you all wrapped up for the big arrival!" the fat one said, grabbing his arm.It was unnerving, allowing the slobbering, stinking being to pull him around like a doll. Still, one glance at Nappa's stiff body reminded him of the consequences of acting otherwise.

Even after months of captivity, he still wondered who this 'master' they spoke of was, and how much more odd looking these creatures could get.

* * *

Nothing had ever felt so good in her entire life. Her back cracked loudly, and the soft covers of her bed supported her aching muscles as she settled back onto the bed. Bulma let out the deepest sigh of her life, wondering _why_ she insisted on keeping the baby inside of her for a split second.

That question immediately switched, to why she insisted on working on a barbaric, bloodthirsty tournament that she likely wouldn't want to see anyway.

"Would you_ stop_ worrying and go to sleep? You are plaguing my thoughts." an annoyed voice came from the corner.

She smirked, knowing how much her spinning thoughts irked him, and loving being able to irk him whenever she could. "I'm sorry. I'm just so glad I finally finished that work. The tournament is set, and I can sleep… for now. He seems to be settling down."

Vegeta snorted "Thank the gods. You do not know how damn annoying it is to have constant light in your quarters for three days straight."

Bulma held in a laugh. She decided not to argue that pregnancy was marginally more 'annoying'. He could be such a whiner. Another feeling took her thoughts away, and she winced. "Hungry again!" she whined back to him.

Vegeta rolled his eyes and folded his arms. Forcing his instincts down and vowing not to bow to her wishes. "Vikar, the Queen needs to feed again" he said simply, knowing the sweating guard would be anxious to prove himself worthy.

Bulma turned on her side as her eyes lolled shut.

Vegeta let his own sigh of relief, waited a few minutes, and then stood. After a few minutes of assurance, he stealthily clicked off the begotten lights, slid into bed, and curled around his mate not making a sound. His deep scowl faded to a lighter one as the two drifted off together for the first time in weeks.


	3. Preparations

CHAPTER THREE : Preparations

"Damnit!" dhe yelled. "**Why** does this hurt so much?"

Kakarott finished applying the paste to her arm. "You've got internal bleeding. The wound healed up too fast, and I kept hitting it. This stuff should do the trick"

Liena sneered and looked her arm over as if it were a foreign object. "Well the stuff smells bad enough, it'd better."

Kakarott smirked and sat back. It had been a long day, and they both had their share of aches. It was finally evening, and they were off duty, which brought a sudden thought to his head. At once, he stood "Lets go"

Liena raised both brows from her own seat "Huh?"

"Come on, I'll take you to the springs," he said, heading out the door.

Liena stood in surprise, but followed him down the halls. They walked fast, and she was still computing what he hadd just said. Liena had heard of the springs; Hot water and peaceful surroundings. Not many went there, as it was considered a weak way to get rid of pain. Still, she had a feeling that Kakarott was a bit more intelligent, and as they took off into the air, she couldn't wait to relax.

They flew for a few minutes at top speed, and were out of the kingdom in no time, passing over immense fields and dense forests. The two reached the mountains, which were the only above ground source of water. It was here that they would find the springs.

He landed and she followed, still favoring her arm. Without a word, he stepped in and sat in the water, as if it were a usual thing. Liena looked at him as if he were crazy.

"Isn't that… hot.. and strange feeling?" she asked, looking warily at the small pond of steaming liquid.

He shrugged. "I come here all the time. It acts as a quick heal for my muscles. Of course, everyone thinks I'm crazy," he snorted and waved her in. "C'mon, you'll love it."

Liena trusted him, so she stepped in slowly. It felt strange to have her leg engulfed in liquid. She barely remembered it from the regeneration tanks. She sat down in the hot water and leaned back, finally understanding how this could easily heal ones wounds. Her arm was feeling better already.

After a few minutes, she sent her gaze his way, and found that his eyes were on her already. "It's fine.," she admitted "Why didn't you ever bring me here before?"

Kakarott shrugged. "I just like to be alone sometimes," he answered, but continued. "Well, I _did_." He smirked again leaned back, letting his eyes close.

Liena smiled , and leaned her head back as well. The day had been spent sparring with her mate, and now they were spending their time relaxed, and in a comfortable silence. How much better could it get?

"Hah!Yyou have yet to find out," Kakarott said in a soft voice.

She jerked her head back up again, still unused to his ability to read her thoughts. To her amusement, his eyes were still closed, and he looked as relaxed as ever. She almost jumped as she felt his tail coil around her lower calf.

Liena sighed, grinned, and wondered how tomorrow would go.

* * *

"**Ow**!"

"Oh shut up, stupid! Yamako, get me that," Kijah pointed to a sharp tool.

Yamako did as she was told, and stood back as she watched Kijah cut the armor off of Chatsu.

They'd pounded each other, to say the least.

"_Damnit_, Kij! Thats right where the cut is!" Chatsu whined again.

Yamako actually found it amusing how openly pompus he was in public, but around Kijah, he was almost constantly submissive.

She got the armor off, and tore the under shirt around it. "Ah, you moron. You've got pieces of armor still stuck in there, that's why it hurts so badly." Kijah shook her head, and Chatsu rolled his eyes. His own pride kept him from growling out of pain.

Yamako smirked and watched as Kijah picked out what peices she could, while Chatsu's face turned purple. Kijah stood above him, working diligently; her tail lashing behind her. She pulled a long string of thick cloth and wrapped it around the wound.

"It'll bleed more now that those pieces aren't blocking the veins," she said and stood back, observing her work.

Kijah grinned. "Well, well. Looks like the tables have turned, Chatsu! Remember back when _you_ were trying to fix _me_ up?" she laughed as he eyed her.

Yamako stepped back, towards the door. She had seen that look on a male before, and knew she had better to get out before he did what he likely had in mind. She stepped out and walked down the hall slowly, reminding herself to call Golkor. The tournament was only a day away, so it would not be long before his arrival.

She heard the door slam, and turned to see Kijah trotting towards her, pulling her armor back over her head. Obviously, she had been right about Chatsu's intentions. "Whats up Kij?"

Kijah scowled and kept her look forward "Queen calls," she answered as she ran past, picking up speed as she got her armor on.

Yamako shook her head, smirking. So much time had passed since their childhood, when the only thing that matter was who owned the dirt pile that day. She sidestepped into a public terminal room and sat at one of the many desks.

"That brat had better be on his way, I'm starting to get cravings"

She thought of how much time she had left before her child should be put in the tank; not much longer at all

* * *

"She was just dizzy... you don't need to be here," Vikaro glared at Kijah as she tried to see into the queen's quarters.

Kijah angled her black gaze to meet Vikaro's in challenge. "She _called_ me here. Now I suggest you let me in, whether her sickness has passed or not."

He straightened and folded his arms. Vikaro's height alone was enough to belittle any Elite. Kijah, on the other hand, could care less. She reached over, shoved him aside in one push, and strode in on her own whim.

Bulma smiled from her seat. "Hello Kijah! I just got a bit dizzy there, and sick to my stomach. Probably morning sickness....at night," she made a strange face.

Vikaro stood outside scowling. His retaliation had apparently been cut off by the sight of the queen's smiling at Kijah. He shut the door, his anger still very apparent.

"Have you been eating well my Queen?" Kijah asked as she looked over the tech reports given by her eldest guard.

"The woman eats like a Saiyan," a sharp voice snapped from behind her. Kijah turned at attention to see the king. He was usually gone when she visited.

"Yes sire," she said simply, looking back to the reports. Kijah had no idea what to do now. She had become used to the queen herself, but being under the king's watchful eyes actually made her nervous.

Bulma saw the display of hierarchy and bit her lip, wondering whether to relieve Kijah, or tell Vegeta to leave. Either way, someone would get angry.

She sneered and looked to Vegeta. "Why don't you go check on the Arena. I gave your off world engineers the stats, and they should be done now. Last minute checks should start tonight."

Vegeta narrowed is eyes "The tournament doesn't start until tomorrow evening. You wanted last minute checks to start tomorrow morning." His tail lashed around behind him, raised as high as could be to show her his 'place'.

Bulma stood from her seat, making Kijah look to her. "I _think_ you ought to take some responsibility and check on it first. Being the_ king_, your foremost opinion counts more than anyone's." Her eyes narrowed in challenge.

Kijah had the urge to duck and roll out of the way of this battle. She knew why the king had found this woman attractive: she was likely the only one brave enough to retaliate against his words.

Vegeta snorted and wheeled on his heel, his tail jerked around behind him now, showing anger. "Don't expect me to bow down to your whining tonight. I'll be training."

He made his grand retreat and took off in a blaze of light, blatantly ignoring the rules of the palace halls.

Bulma sat down, her eyes filled with victory. "Well, sorry you had to witness that! I'm sure he'll be in a much better mood tomorrow!"

Kijah smirked, not knowing what to say. She looked back to the reports "I'd try to eat more meats. The plants and things you've been eating are alright, but your body will need much more energy to keep the Saiyan baby growing correctly."

Bulma nodded. "Thats what my father told me. I just talked to him, and they'll be sending me some food from earth when they send the little knick knacks my mother insists on getting to me."

She rolled her eyes and looked to the report, and then to Kijah. "_Oh my_! Why do you have all of that blood on your armor? Are you hurt? What happened?"

Kijah gritted her teeth. She had been in such a hurry to get to her, that she had forgotten to clean Chatsu's blood off of her own armor, and fix the cuts on herself.

"Forgive me my queen. I was training. Most of the blood is my partner's," she admitted quickly, knowing she was violating the queen's strictly set armor code.

Bulma waved her hand around in the air as she spoke "Oh, no big deal! I shouldn't have called you here anyway! Go on, I'll be fine. Just tell Vikaro to get me more meat next time! And thank you, Kijah!"

Kijah bowed as a wave of relief flowed over her. She exited and walked out. She turned as her tail lashed free of her waist and raised up about as high as the king's had been.

"Vikaro, the queen says get her more meat next time eh?" she winked at the scowling face and turned, walking back to her quarters for the evening.

She hoped to get a bit more practice in before the next night, but knew she needed sleep to go along with it.

* * *

Shinto groaned as she applied the liquid to his back.

"Stop it, you infant! This is just juiced up tank liquid! Would you rather go to the tank?" she purred.

Shinto snorted and braced his arms against the steam-room walls. They both bathed in the thick moisture, while she applied the stinging stuff to his back.

"So I'm ready for that tournament?" he said deeply.

Raleiko nodded. "Just remember to block phase outs, Shin. That's why I'm stuck listening to you whine. You aren't without weakness you know." She closed the top of the wooden looking flask and stepped out, fluffing her tail to dry it.

Shinto let his eyes wander as he thought of a comeback for being called weak. But of course, his own begotten hormones took over as he slunk out after her, following her to the bed.

Raleiko grinned to herself as she curled up in the pile of cloth. She knew she had this male wrapped around her tail, and loved it. Maybe she would just stay with this one. He seemed stubborn enough. Her grin turned to a smirk as she felt him slide behind her, and slip an arm around her waist.

Nothing turned a Saiyan's heat on more than a good battle, and Raleiko needed some extra exercise before the next day.

* * *

Bulma sighed deeply as she lay on her side in bed. This baby was getting harder and harder to deal with. Her mother had ordered her to stay in bed and eat like a horse, and her father was busy drawing up technicalities for the differences between a Saiyan system, and human. Her eyes were heavy lidded, and all she really wanted was a good rest before the next day.

"You'll get that, and tomorrow, you'll do no running around." Her mate's voice pounded into the room as he did the same.

She was too tired to be surprised, and only opened one eye to catch a glimpse of him peeling off a sweaty shirt, before he dissappeared into another section of the room to take a steam bath.

Bulma smirked and sighed again. "I'll still be attending the tournament, you know. All of my work wasn't in vain, you'll see."

Vegeta scowled as he rubbed sweat off of himself. "You will attend, but you will _not_ be getting up and sitting down so often. If you need things to be done, you're guard will get them for you."

"Vegeta, they'll be in battle!" she said in a tired voice.

He stepped out and glared at her, still dripping with steamy water. "They won't be fighting at the same time, Bulma. I thought you knew that. When they aren't up on the roster, they'll be at your side as their duties demand. As will my honor guard." He snorted, and mumbled something to himself as he dried off and wolfed down a peice of meat at the same time.

'What talent.' Bulma thought as she closed her eyes, not wanting to argue for anything.

Sleep finally came as Vegeta put on his stealth mind frame, making it impossible for her to hear him at all. She loved it when he did this, as she knew it was all to let her sleep. Bulma drifted off quickly, and didn;t even notice when Vegeta finally slipped in behind her, and slept himself.

She stepped into the room and felt her way to the bed, pulling off the clothes she had worn to see the queen. Kijah was particularly glad that she had been relieved of her duties, since tomorrow would be the biggest day of the season. She sighed lightly as the cool cloth of the bed slid over her skin, and she settled in next to Chatsu.

"Mm…want to finish what we started?" he said in a low, sleepy voice. At least, she guessed it was sleepy.

Kijah sighed and scowled. How was she expected to get any sleep at all? She turned over on her side and folded her arms, trying not to be enraptured by his scent (which seemed all and too appealing about now).

Chatsu grinned and got out of the bed silently, and Kijah figured he was just going to get another steam bath to calm down. She sighed once more and began to drift off in a dream of victory.

And then, he pounced...


	4. The Tournament

CHAPTER FOUR : The Tournament

"WHY do we need keycards when EVERY able Saiyan on the planet will be competing?" he scowled and flashed said card to the arena guard.

"You're not exactly a planet-side Saiyan sir."

Golkor shot a glare to his liutenant. "Find my mate, and bring her to my seat."

"Yes sir" the obedient warrior said, and trotted off.

Golkor sighed and sat with a scowl on his face. Outdoors, the climate of Vegetasei was still the same. He had gotten used to Mikosei's cool temperatures, and actually found himself a uncomfortable in the heat.

As it turned out, there was plenty for him to uncomfortable with. The second he set foot on the planet, he was ushered straight to his seat. When had such "order" come into the hierarchy?

His black gaze slid over the growing crowd, and he saw the answer to his question sitting in the top box of the arena; Queen Bulma.

He'd never taken a liking to the king's choice, but dealt with it. After all, the king could kill him (and several hundred more just like him) with the flick of his finger.

"Nice armor;" a snide voice came from beside him.

He turned to see his mate sitting next to him, her stomach swollen with child.

He smirked, feeling a slight calm wash over him; as he felt she was alright. "It's mandatory for off-worlders, easier for the audience to see."

Yamako nodded and smirked in response. "Good idea; likely the queen's"

Golkor shrugged off his annoyed feelings and focused his attention on the preliminary fights. It would be a long wait for the finals, but he could at least enjoy the entertainment while he had the time.

* * *

Kijah, Bulma, and Vikaro sat in the upper box, the door guarded by other high classed warriors who wouldn't be up for battle until the end of the third session.

"When does that mate of yours fight?" Bulma asked, trying desperately to sound interested. She had seen a few of these competitions in her life, but never had she seen so much blood in one place. Luckily, she had an excuse to keep her eyes elsewhere, and talked to Kijah as she did so.

"Third session. He's up after Shinto." Kijah replied, keeping an eye out for assassins. She didn't like having Bulma out in public any more than the king, especially when she carried the heir.

"So, he'll fight your brother?" Bulma asked. She knew most of Kijah's friends and family, which blew Kijah away, as she wasn't used to the concept of "gossip".

Kijah nodded with a scowl, knowing Chatsu could beat her brother in a second, but still hating the tension. If anyone beat her brother, she wanted it to be herself. This day, however, she sat still and warded off thoughts of battling her brother . Kijah was doing her best to stay unnoticed, for she held a new secret that she wanted to keep as long as she could; Especially on the tournament day.

Eventually, the King took his place in the box with the outer world visitors. It would not be long before the true test of her skills would begin

* * *

She followed him at a delicate, but fast-paced trot until they reached the armor room. and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Digging through supplies, he picked out, and subsequently handed her pieces of armor. Both soon got to work on armoring themselves in replacement of the heavy armor they had been wearing.

"See? I told you we'd be in on time." Kakarott said grinning. He stood with arms akimbo looking as if he'd just won a race, or a test of the mind.

Liena sighed with exasperation "I wonder why no one else thought of last minute training," she said as she finished up her own dressing process. "Maybe because they understand the concept of ... what was it again? Oh, yeah, obedience!" She snorted and folded her arms.

Kakarott grinned even more and sent her a mock salute. When her exasperated look showed just a hint of worry, he led her out to the doorway to stand with a few others.

Her nerves would not stop buzzing, and he must have felt it too.

"We'll be fine" he whispered into her ear, and she felt herself relax, just a bit.

* * *

"Will you SIT DOWN! You still have another few fights before you're even up in LINE, Shinto!" Raleiko sat back and folded her arms.

Shinto paused in his pacing "A few being two! That's two as in... mere minutes, Ral! I need to do well or I won't prove myself to my father." he glared into the arena, which was being cleaned for the next match.

"There's almost no chance of even getting near your sister's rank, she'll be in the finals by default," Raleiko said.

"No need to remind me," he replied, clenching both fists and glaring at her. "I am forever being reminded of that."

"Just sit down."

"No," he replied. "I'm thinking."

"You do that at all of the wrong times, you know."

Shinto waved her off, scowled, and returned to pacing. This was the only day he'd ever have to get recognition, and he wasn't about to waste it.

* * *

"Oh, there's your friend!" Bulma sat up and pointed.

Kijah looked into the arena and realized that Liena was up. She wondered why she was up so early, but focused on her nonetheless.

She watched as Liena made quick work of her first opponent, and proceeded to take out the next one with nearly as much ease. Those two victories, as well as her rank, placed her in the finals.

Kijah breathed a sigh of relief, and proceeded to watch Kakarott's match. This time, she watched with more confidence; He made it look easy, and did so faster than his mate.

The fights seemed to be starting and ending much more quickly than she remembered. Kijah wondered if she was getting over the usual excitement and wonder that the tournaments brought. Then again, her position had changed drastically since the last time she had witnessed the event.

The biggest upset came not long after Kakarott's qualifying match, as her brother Shinto blew his opponents away. She focused her attention on him with drawn brows. He had finished those matches with ease, leaving her wondering about his recent training.

Bulma raised her eyebrows, noting Kijah's expression. "So,if he beats Chatsu..."

"I'll fight him," Kijah answered, and quickly added 'my queen' to the words. The thought was fleeting in her mind, but did not last long. Her eyes and focus were hard on the arena as Liena stepped up to face her brother.

Shinto started with a brash, swinging kick to Liena's arm, and landed it. Clearly, he had been paying attention to her weaknesses. He seemed to dance around her, hitting, kicking, and swinging her by that same arm. Liena, already tired and over-extended from previous fights, eventually flagged. She moved to surrender at last, looking drained.

But Shinto wasn't finished.

He made sure to send a defiant glare up to his sister before lifting his hand and bluntly firing a ki blast at Liena, even as she sat in surrender.

Time seemed to stop in that moment and pass in a blur of slow but fast motion.

As dust and smoke thinned, Liena's body could be seen slumped, still, and covered in blood;

Kakarott appeared in a blur, sliding to a halt at her side, but before he could touch her, another blast came in his direction.

In what seemed like a fluid reflex, Kakarott caught it, and flung one right back to Shinto. Not expecting such a quick move, much less such a response, Kijah's brother found himself on his rear with the wind knocked out of him. He stood quickly, doing his best not to look like he had lost his cool.

Kakarott stepped up to Shinto and plunged a fist into his gut, but before he could do any more, he was grabbed dragged off of the field by guards.

Kijah vaguely heard the announcement of Kakarott's disqualification due to a false start. She watched as Chatsu stepped onto the field as the next contender. When Kakarott saw him, he glared to Shinto's direction. "He's as strong as me you know..." he hissed before he was escorted off of the field, carrying Liena in his arms.

Kijah realized that Bulma had moved to the rail next to her, her mouth agape in her own surprize.

"Will she be ok? Your friend?"

Kijah nodded, but did not respond. Now her focus was on Chatsu, and she let her anger boil.

* * *

Chatsu knew this fight wasn't going to be hard, but he had a gut feeling that Shinto was not about to go down without using all of his tricks.

He began the fight with a block and a blow to the nose. It was a surprise move that he knew would anger Shinto even more, but that was the plan. As Kijah's brother flared up and fired off a round of fi blasts, Chatsu blocked and charged his own before firing back.

"Damned... HYBRID!" Shinto screamed as he wiped at a burn on his face. Clearly, he had not been able to dodge or block all of the attacks. More quickly than he thought, Shinto began to tire out.

After exchanging more blows and even more cursing words, Shinto spat blood, and fell to his hands and knees in exhaustion. Not quite finished, he stood. fiddling with his armor before facing Chatsu again.

Chatsu narrowed his eyes, but continued the fight as soon as he saw his opponent move to attack again. He fazed out and came in behind him, but Shinto turned and shot a ki blast toward his eyes. Chatsu's reflexes were fast enough to block the blast, but before he could move on, he stumbled.

Something was wrong... Chastu couldn't see a thing.

The fight did not stop, of course. He focused on listening and blocking, but he could not see at all. Shinto had used something to blind him. The crowd broke into screams and chants, which made it harder and harder for him to hear.

Finally, he was caught off guard and landed outside of the arena ring after a particularly hard kick to the chest.

He heard the tone, and the felt the guards lifting him by his arms. "Out?" He yelled "No, I couldn't see! Treason! He cheated!" Chatsu shouted in a rage as the mindless guards pulled him off of the field.

* * *

Kijah stood tall behind the rail and turned to face the doorway, her eyes were filled with a rage that sent others moving out of her way.

Even Bulma stayed quiet as she stepped out of the box to ascend to her battle.

First, the needless attack on Liena, and then the cowardly trick pulled on her Chatsu? This was not some sibling squabble. This was not a competition for father or mother's love. This was an outright attack on her, personally. Bother or not, Kijah thought as she made for the stairway. This was war.

"Kijah, will not fight." Vikaro smirked.

Everyone in the box turned to look at him, and she turned gracefully on her heel to face him.

"Pardon me?" Kijah spat.

"She will not fight, because she is with child." he said with a pompus smirk.

She felt like her heart would sink into her stomach as he went on speaking.

"Maternal hiatus is in the code, and she is forbidden to fight." he spat out, a full grin pulling at his lips.

Kijah gaped and watched them all react.

No...

She saw Bulma smiling, and then stopping to question the rules. Before she knew it, the battle-announcer himself was calling her name and claiming forfeit.

No!

Kijah suddenly flamed and vanished, appearing in the arena and yelling for the tone to sound.

She was not sure who, but someone made sure that it sounded. The audience was in a confused uproar, and she thought she heard something being announced, but her blood rushed in her ears. She saw red, and wanted to see more.

All at once, brother an sister clashed in battle, and the audience hushed.

And all at once, it was over.

Kijah stood and took his attacks, powering up in pure rage, as his previous acts ran through her mind in a torrent. She screamed, sending him back in a shockwave, arcing through the air. Before he could even hit the ground, she blasted him with one hit, leaving him armorless and unconsious in the dirt.

The silence seemed to last forever, but it gave her enough time to calm down, bow, and phase back out.

She phazed back into the box, where she nodded, and got on one knee in front of the queen.

"Forgive me, but I had a debt to pay."

Bulma nodded with wide eyes and sat back. It took her a moment to speak, and Kijah waited without moving.

"So... you're with child?"

"Yes your highness," Kijah said with a sigh, and stood slowly to take her place. "Forgive me for keeping the secret these few hours. I needed to prove myself, and I'll repay you in any way possible." she kept her look downward in submission, knowing she had been wrong.

"Well if my mate was defeated in such an unfair fashion, I'd be a little mad too!" the queen finally said with one of her signature smiles. "Just take care of that baby. My son will need a training partner," she smiled as Kijah looked up in relief.

"Yes, my queen." she nodded and shot a smirk to Vikaro before taking her seat.

The announcer called the arena to order and spoke of Kijah's technical forfeit. He eventually calmed the uproar from the crowd as the last two contestants (by extreme default) were called to fight.

* * *

Kijah knew that the tournament was often based on politics, and did not mourn the loss of her chance at victory. She had proved herself and avenged her friends. She stood by the planet's queen as one of the highest ranked guards in the universe.

She couldn't ask for more.

The tournament ended with a default winner, (awarded a badge by the king), a few higher placements, and a bunch of rowdy contestants who likely wouldn't sleep for the next few nights. Groups formed around the arena in loud parties, brawls, and other games as the excitement coursed through their veins.

Liena and Kakarott came to see Kijah as soon as Liena was cleared of her injuries. They both babbled in awe at finding out about her future child.

Chatsu kept quiet and watched over his mate, unusually stoic for a change. He'd realized what the 'odd feeling' he'd had was a few hours earlier, and Kijah got a good laugh at finally wiping the smirking look off of his face.

"I call first shot at your coward brother," Liena announced as they ate later that evening.

"Nope. I said it earlier." Kakarott claimed. "You were unconscious at the time."

"There's more than enough of his blustering mass to go around. We'll all get a chance," Kijah answered with a smirk.  
"Just gotta wait till he's out of the regeneration tank."

They toasted to Shinto's eventual payback, to Kijah and Chatsu's growing child, and to the Tournament. It was definitely one for the books.


End file.
